That’s how President Rody Duterte had described me in the Cabinet because I was bullheaded and I stood up against the many Anti-Agriculture Policies introduced by the Economic Team.
I had remained steadfast in my belief that the Philippines could achieve rice sufficiency and most of all, food sufficiency, a position that was mocked by the Economic Managers who wanted a quick fix to the food supply problems – importation.
For that, I was publicly chastised by the President several times and the Economic Managers, specifically Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, pressured the President to fire me from the Cabinet.
When then Senator-elect Bong Go informed me about the pressure on the President, I offered my resignation as Agriculture Secretary but the President re-assigned me instead to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) as Chairman with the rank of a Cabinet Secretary.
Two weeks ago, I again submitted my resignation to file my COC for Senator under the Nationalist People’s Coalition and I had a feeling that the President would feel bad about my leaving the administration party.
But no. Two days ago, I read in the papers that I was one of the six Senatorial candidates that he was endorsing and I was included in the PDP Laban ticket as Guest Candidate.
Just how deep is my relationship with Rody Duterte?
Very deep.
As political leaders – he as Mayor of Davao City and I as Governor of the neighbor province Cotabato – we had collaborated in the fight against terrorism and drugs.
I supplied him with information on terror threats in Davao City and also drugs shipments coming from Lanao.
On a personal level, he is the lone Baptismal Godfather of my son, Imman, and the major sponsor or Ninong in the wedding of my daughter, Dr. Maria Krista.
I cannot thank the President enough for giving me the opportunity to serve the people as his Cabinet Secretary and for the personal favors he had given me as his friend.
To honor our friendship and as way of thanking me for elevating me and my advocacies to the national consciousness, ipinapangako ko na mananatili akong malinis at hindi ko dudungisan ang aking pangalan bilang isang lingkod bayan.
Daghang salamat sa tanan nga tabang ug pagpalangga, Pare Rody.
#FriendsBeyondPolitics!
https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/10/14/news/former-agriculture-chief-piol-gets-duterte-nod/1818383?fbclid=IwAR3JalwGYluPw_ZORUEg7ci4op9ZzQGuscQNPczIcgCy3qK-eNf0CtlkWIo
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